It is known for a vehicle, such as a car, to have both a vehicle bus and a user bus. As known, typically the vehicle bus supports the various vehicle systems, such as a motive power source (such as, for example, an internal combustion engine, electric engine, or other source of motive power that might be developed in the future), instrument display, door locks, flashing lights, etc. Also, typically the user bus supports various user systems, such as a cell phone, a radio frequency ("RF") data device, a pager, entertainment system, a global positioning satellite ("GPS") receiver, etc.
As known, the vehicular bus contains various proprietary information and safety-related information such as, for example, an anti-theft system computer program or an anti-lock braking system computer program. As a result, generally the user bus is not directly coupled to the vehicular bus; instead, the user bus is coupled to the vehicular bus by means of a vehicular gateway.
As is known, from time to time there is a need to reprogram one or more vehicle systems. For example, periodically it is necessary to reprogram the motive power source which, in terms of a typical internal combustion engine, is currently known as "tuning" the engine. Likewise, periodically it is necessary to adjust the braking system, etc.
Also as known, from time to time there is a need to reprogram one or more user systems. For example, periodically it might be necessary to reprogram a cell phone with current dialing information. Likewise, periodically it might be necessary to reprogram a vehicle entertainment system with current entertainment channels or game software, etc.
Due to the safety-related and confidential nature of the vehicle and user systems, it is desirable that the reprogramming of these vehicle and user systems be limited to authorized persons or entities.
As a result, there is a need for a method for reprogramming a vehicle system or a user system in a vehicle in a secure manner.